Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin talks with the referee against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. / Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

by Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports

by Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports

TAMPA â?? The Miami Dolphins would have everyone believe they are fine.

A controversy that has one teammate alleging harassment, another suspended and has propelled Miami to the center of a national conversation about bullying, hazing and locker room culture â?? none of it is a distraction, they said.

All of it had nothing to do with a 22-19 loss Monday night against the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a record low rushing.

That things are decidedly not fine, well, the Dolphins aren't saying that.

Instead their answers downplayed the national spotlight that has shined on them for the last two weeks.

"The distractions are outside," center Mike Pouncey said. "It's external, not internal. We felt good coming into this game."

Added guard Nate Garner: "It didn't weigh on us at all. We were all focused. We all went to work every day and just worked hard and tried to grind it out."

And receiver Mike Wallace said: "The only time it's a distraction is when I can't get to my locker, but other than that I think we're fine. We lost a football game. I think it was just because they made more plays than us. I think everybody was focused. I think everybody was fine."

In the grand scheme of things, one game doesn't make or break a season in the NFL. But for an accurate barometer of where things stand, the box score might provide more insight than players were willing to share.

The absence of two starting offensive linemen â?? one, Jonathan Martin, who Dolphins owner Stephen Ross supported during a pre-game news conference Monday and another, Richie Incognito, whose name was not even mentioned â?? didn't affect the play of the line, the players said.

But the Dolphins (4-5) rushed for a franchise-low 2 yards. They had zero at halftime.

Despite the struggles in the run game, the offensive line had protected quarterback Ryan Tannehill for most of the game. But with the Dolphins trailing by three inside the two-minute warning and trying to mount a scoring drive, Tampa Bay sacked Tannehill on back-to-back plays to pin Miami deep in its own end, effectively ending the game.

Miami now leads the NFL with 37 sacks surrendered.

On defense, things were slightly better for Miami against a Tampa Bay team that entered the game ranked 31st in the NFL with 15.5 points per game. The Bucs (1-8) jumped out to a 15-7 lead at halftime and withstood a third-quarter comeback in which Miami took the lead.

"It's frustrating to come out and not play like we wanted to," Tannehill said. "I can't equate it to the week. â?¦ Yes, we faced a lot of distractions, but before the game, leading up to this game the last few days, I've had a good feeling that guys were ready to play."

If the players minimized the impact of the controversy, Ross' pre-game comments acknowledged the gravity of it.

Martin, a second-year offensive lineman out of Stanford, left the team facility after a prank in the cafeteria on Oct. 28. Last week, David Cornwell, Martin's attorney, released text of a voice message Incognito left for Martin in which he used racially charged language and said to Martin, "I'll kill you."

While Cornwell said Thursday that Martin was harassed by more than just one teammate, the Dolphins suspended Incognito Nov. 3 after media reports indicated he had played a role in the harassment that led to Martin's departure and Cornwell released the text of the voicemail.

In an interview with FOX Sports that aired Sunday, Incognito, 30, acknowledged leaving the message but said he is not a racist.

On Monday, Ross and CEO Tom Garfinkel stressed that the organization would not rush to judgment and would make changes to policies as the facts of the NFL's investigation dictated.

"I was appalled (by the language in the voicemail). Anybody would be appalled," he added. "There will not be racial slurs or harassing or bullying in that work place, in that locker room and outside the locker room."

Following the loss Monday, several players said the controversy had brought them together. They didn't pay attention to Twitter and didn't watch ESPN, aiming to drown out the noise. Business as usual is the hope, and many noted that they're professionals who get paid to block out distractions.

They are also people who, in addition to struggling with minor setbacks like losing a football game, also must ignore a major setback which has called into question the character of teammates and themselves.

An investigation is pending. Ross plans to meet with Martin on Wednesday. If you listen closely, you'll find a glimpse that the Dolphins might realize all is not fine more than they're willing to let on.

"We were ready to just prove everybody wrong," Pouncey said. "It's frustrating to lose any game, but to lose this game right here with our backs against the wall, it's just very tough."